Although you may enjoy basking in the summer heat, your hair is likely less thrilled. Between humidity frizzies, salt water and chlorine damage, and the sun’s tie dye-like effects on hair color, your tresses may be nostalgic for spring. However, it IS possible to enjoy summer and have healthy hair. LifeScript has researched the top remedies for your hot-weather hair problems, some of which you can even make at home. Find out how you can keep your mane soft and smooth, no matter how high the mercury rises. Plus, test your hairstyle IQ…

With damaging elements all around, summer is the time to nourish your hair with botanical – not chemical-laden – products.

“Natural, plant-derived ingredients are more compatible with our bodies than synthetic agents,” says Pat Peterson, executive director of Aveda Research and Development. “Another benefit is their minimal impact on the earth.”

In other words, you can appease your hair and your conscience at the same time.

Luckily, many organic shampoos and conditioners include mineral-rich ingredients like avocado, vitamin E and oil extracts to hydrate hair.

A great hydrating product is Avalon Organic’s Awapuhi Mango Moisturizing Shampoo and conditioner of the same name ($8.95, AvalonOrganics.com; also carried at Wild Oats, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods). Ingredients include: awapuhi, derived from Hawaiian wild ginger, to soothe, soften and add shine; mango, which moisturizes and promotes cell rejuvenation; and aloe vera, which repairs parched strands.

You can also take an at-home approach to solving dry hair dilemmas, using items found in most markets. For example, avocados can be your hair’s best friend – they are rich in vitamin E and moisturizing oils.

Massage into damp hair, tuck strands under a shower cap, and leave on for 15 minutes to an hour.

Rinse, shampoo and condition as usual.

FrizzWayward strands don’t just plague curly-haired women. When humidity rises and hair is dry, anyone can be attacked by the frizzies. Unfortunately, “static-electric chic” is not on the list of sexy summer styles. However, a number of beauty lines offer frizz remedies, many with natural ingredients that will tame your mane. Two to try:

Aveda’s Be Curly Curl Control ($17.50) – This product uses Tamanu oil, which comes from the island of Vanuatu in the South Pacific. Used to treat dry, course hair for centuries, this oil’s moisturizing properties will put frizz in its place.

The Body Shop’s Brazil Nut Define and No Frizz ($10) - Brazil nut oil (combined with three other natural oils) helps condition the hair while keeping frizz under control.

DullNothing deflates some women’s hair faster than the combination of sun, heat and sweat. Make lifeless, lank hair pop with these two at-home remedies:

Home tip #1: Combine the juice of one lemon and one cup of water, and use it as a final rinse after shampooing to brighten dull locks.

Not in the mood to play at-home beautician? Over-the-counter products can bring dull-looking hair back to life, such as Avalon Organics’ Ylang Ylang Glistening Shampoo and conditioner of the same name ($7.95). They contain mica (rock) minerals, which boost shine, and coconut and palm kernel extract, which hydrate.

OilyAlthough it’s important to keep your hair hydrated in the summer, falling victim to “the greasies” is another problem. And while many shampoos for oily hair do remove the grease, they may also strip your hair of the natural oils it needs. The solution? Try something gentler.

Here’s a tip from The Black Book of Hollywood Beauty Secrets (Penguin, 2006), co-authored by Kym Douglas: Brew five bags of mint tea, then cool. Shampoo and condition (if necessary), then pour the tea over your head as a final rinse. The mint is a natural astringent.

Need to de-grease on the run? Try witch hazel oil when you’re in a hurry – there’s no need to get your hair wet. Saturate a cotton ball and then wipe your entire scalp, moving your hair out of the way as you go. The witch hazel will absorb excess oil.

For a store-bought option, try Burt’s Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar ($6, available at beauty supply stores). It pairs mint with rosemary and oat proteins to banish extra oil, while moisturizing at the same time.

The summer is no time for harsh dyes – salt water, chlorine and UV rays do enough damage on their own. Use a natural formula, like henna, or make one of these color-boosting remedies with ingredients from the kitchen:

- Fast Beauty recommends mixing a teaspoon of Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa into your palm with a few squirts of shampoo, then washing your hair.

- Redheads can use a half-cup of cranberry juice as final rinse to enhance their highlights; brunettes can also do this for a subtle red look.

- Fast Beauty author Rona Berg hails the properties of chamomile tea, which has been used since the Victorian era to lighten blond hair. Brew a pot using three tea bags, then let cool. After shampooing and conditioning, gently massage the tea through your hair. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse.

Test Your Hairstyle IQYou're up on all the latest hairstyle trends, are a whiz with a flat iron and get touch-ups on your highlights every 6-8 weeks. But how much do you know about the history of hairstyling - a complex, ancient art that has a direct correlation with the hair politics of today? Test your tress smarts with this hair quiz.